The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has elevated the recall of select Zapp’s and Dirty brand potato chips to a Class I recall, the agency’s highest safety classification, over concerns that a seasoning ingredient may be contaminated with Salmonella. More than 650,000 bags distributed across the United States are affected, prompting regulators to urge consumers not to eat the recalled products.
The recall was voluntarily initiated by Utz Quality Foods LLC on April 28 and publicly announced on May 4 after the company learned that a seasoning containing dry milk powder supplied through a third-party manufacturer could potentially contain Salmonella. Although the seasoning batches tested negative before production, Utz issued the recall out of an abundance of caution. The FDA later upgraded it to a Class I recall after evaluating the potential health risks.
FDA Class I Recall Means Highest Level of Risk
According to the FDA, a Class I recall is issued when there is a reasonable probability that consuming or being exposed to a product could cause serious adverse health consequences or death. While no illnesses linked to the recalled chips have been reported, regulators determined the potential risk warranted the agency’s strongest recall classification.
The dry milk powder involved in this recall was sourced from California Dairies Inc. The same ingredient has also been linked to recalls involving other food products, highlighting how a single ingredient issue can affect multiple brands.
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Complete List of Recalled Potato Chips
The FDA recall includes the following products:
- 1.5 oz Zapp’s Bayou Blackened Ranch Potato Chips — 164,640 bags
- 2.5 oz & 8 oz Zapp’s Bayou Blackened Ranch Potato Chips — 179,837 bags
- 2 oz Dirty Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips — 300,595 bags
- 1.5 oz Zapp’s Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips (60-count cases)
- 2 oz Dirty Maui Onion Potato Chips — 5,000 bags
- 2.5 oz & 8 oz Zapp’s Big Cheezy Potato Chips — 14,976 bags
- 2 oz Dirty Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips — 19,200 bags
The affected products were sold by retailers nationwide. Consumers should compare the best-by dates and batch codes on their packages with the official FDA recall notice to determine whether their chips are included.
Why the Chips Were Recalled
The issue stems from a seasoning ingredient containing dry milk powder that may have been contaminated with Salmonella. Utz emphasized that laboratory testing of the seasoning before production did not detect the bacteria, but the company chose to remove the products as a precaution after learning of the supplier’s recall.
Food safety experts note that ingredient-related recalls often spread beyond one manufacturer because the same ingredient may be supplied to multiple companies. Similar ingredient-related recalls have recently affected several packaged food products.
Consumers interested in related food safety developments can learn more about FDA salmonella recalls involving multiple food products.
What Should Consumers Do?
Anyone who has one of the recalled potato chips should not consume it. Instead, throw the product away or contact Utz Customer Care for refund information by calling 1-877-423-0149, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET.
Retailers have also been instructed to remove the affected products from store shelves to reduce the risk of further sales.
Understanding Salmonella
Salmonella is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness in the United States. Symptoms usually appear between six hours and six days after consuming contaminated food and commonly include diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting.
Most healthy people recover within four to seven days. However, young children, older adults, pregnant women and individuals with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe illness. In rare cases, Salmonella can spread to the bloodstream and lead to life-threatening complications.
Consumers should continue monitoring official recall announcements because food recalls can evolve as investigations progress. For complete product identification information, including affected batch codes and best-by dates, visit the FDA Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts page.
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